Need to Leave
by Kenelfie
Summary: Yuki has always wanted Ayame to leave him alone. What if late one night his wish is granted? [Second and final part posted!]
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: I obviously don't own Fruits Basket if I'm posting this on fanfiction.net.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shigure sighed as he turned over in his bed, finding a position that was somewhat comfortable. Ideas flew through his head at a speed that made light seem incredibly slow.  
  
'This is hopeless.' He thought as he stood up. Since sleep obviously wasn't going to come he might as well finish a manuscript before his editor, Mii, started crying again.  
  
As the novelist walked downstairs he about what he was going to write that was worth being up at midnight. His bare feet were practically silent as he descended and walked into the kitchen. He was going to get a glass of milk when he saw a silver covered head lying on the low table.  
  
"Aya?" He asked, causing the head to look up at him.  
  
"Hello Shigure." Ayame responded, brushing his long hair out of his pale face.  
  
"What exactly are you doing here?" Shigure asked, pouring milk for the both of them and getting out a box of oreos.  
  
"I heard Yuki has been having nightmares. I wanted to be here for him." Ayame accepted the oreos with a faint smile. "Oreos were always your favorite."  
  
"Yuki has had a few nightmares recently, but they aren't as bad as before. Tohru has helped him heal. Someday maybe she'll be able to bridge the gap between you two." The snake's eyes brightened considerably.  
  
"Do you really think so?"  
  
"But even dear Tohru needs time." Shigure cautioned.  
  
"I understand Shigure. You may not think I do, Yuki certainly doesn't, but I do. I really do." A door upstairs slid open and footsteps were heard descending. Yuki, eyes wide with fear, yet filled with sleepy innocence entered the room.  
  
"Yuki? Is something bothering you?" Ayame asked before Shigure could.  
  
"Ayame? What are you doin here?" The younger brother seemed to just notice the older when he spoke.  
  
"I'm always here for you Yuki." Ayame's words were surprisingly serious. "I may not have been before, but I am now." Yuki blinked.  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" The rat asked with a yawn.  
  
"It means that if you ever need anything all you have to do is ask." Ayame said so sincerely that Yuki had to believe him.  
  
"What if I need you to leave?" The look in his brother's eyes was one Yuki had never before seen. Shigure left silently, knowing the two needed time together.  
  
"Then I will leave." Ayame stood up. "Goodbye Yuki. I wish you happiness." Yuki stared as the red covered form became smaller into the distance.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Should I continue or should this just be a one-shot? Its up to you. 


	2. Chapter 2

I'm sorry to all of you that have been wanting me to update. Yuki and Hatori were being especially stubborn, but Resident Evil scared my mind and its many muses into cooperating. Oh, and by the way, I'm much more satisfied with how this turned out than the part that was deleted, and although I'm still not overly happy, it's more than acceptable. This way is much more realistic, and less over-dramatic. Drama has its limits, even when Aya's involved. Please excuse any typos; I have a paper due tomorrow so I was typing at the speed of a cat running from a squirt-bottle.

* * *

Yuki watched his brother walk away. He hadn't thought that Ayame would actually take him seriously. 

"Shigure." The Rat called.

"Yes Yuki?" It didn't surprise Yuki that Shigure was within earshot.

"What's going on? With Ayame I mean."

"He's finally listening to you. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Yuki punched the table, not hard enough to break it, but loud enough to make Shigure worry.

"Why don't you go on back to bed? I'll talk with him tomorrow." Shigure offered.

"…" Yuki nodded and climbed the stairs slowly.

* * *

"Mine! It's wonderful to hear your lovely voice, if only I could be there to see your equally lovely person…" Shigure lamented to a laughing voice over the phone, though he was careful to avoid mentioning anything that would allow her to go on about her newest outfit. "Would you put Aya on?" 

"Sure thing!" The receiver was set down and the novelist could hear the two conversing in the background.

"Gure! What's the special occasion? I know it's not my birthday, and it's not Ha'ri's either. Is that what you called about? To start planning Ha'ri's birthday? You genius man! I should have though of that, but you are the smart one! Ha ha ha !" Ayame rambled. Shigure felt obliged to raise an eyebrow. "Definitely no strippers this year, especially not the male ones…He didn't seem to like it too much, did it? He makes it incredibly difficult to plan parties."

"That's not what I called about and you know it Aya." Shigure interjected when Ayame paused for breath. "I know what you're trying to do, but you're not going to distract me."

The other end went silent for a moment.

"I don't see that there's anything to talk about." Ayame almost put the phone back in its cradle, but Shigure had anticipated that.

"If you hang up I'm calling Ha'ri."

A sigh was heard.

"Shigure, there's really nothing to discuss. Yuki doesn't need me. All I'm doing is bothering him."

"And you're okay with that?"

"No, not really, but it's for Yuki, not me."

There was a moment of understanding silence, broken only by the front door sliding open to admit Yuki. Shigure motioned for him to pick up the office extension, installed so that Shigure could listen to Mii and Aya rant and rave while working.

"What caused this sudden change in attitude?" Shigure asked as soon as the Rat was listening.

"I've finally realized what you and Ha'ri have been trying to tell me all along. I'm not going to force Yuki to be my brother if he doesn't want to be."

"'To ignore the facts does not change the facts.'" Shigure wisely quoted. "He's your brother regardless of how you feel about each other."

"Then maybe it's better if I love him from a distance. He might actually appreciate that."

Shigure watched Yuki's face. The Rat was staring at the wall, not really seeing anything.

"If you're sure that's what you want to do…"

"Please stop that. You of all people should know that this is the last thing I want. I want to spend time with Yuki, I want to advise him, watch out for him…I want to be there for my baby brother. But he needed me to leave him alone." Ayame sounded calm, and resigned.

"Alright…" Shigure didn't sound at all convinced, but he didn't have time to say more because Kyo came storming in, Tohru meekly following, screaming at Yuki.

"It seems the children have arrived to destroy my house again…I'll call you later Aya." The Dog excused himself. He and Yuki both hung up.

Kyo, even more furious at being ignored, punched through a wall near Yuki's head. He hadn't actually been aiming for the wall, but Yuki's head ducked before his fist could hit it.

"Not the house!" Shigure yelped. As usual, he was ignored.

"Who were you on the phone with stupid rat?" Kyo demanded, pulling his hand free and cracking even more of the delicate wood.

"That's none of your business." Yuki's voice went cold. Shigure quickly came to the conclusion that he needed a distraction.

"Tohru, how was school today? Everyone was nice to you I presume?"

Both boys turned from fighting to listen and Shigure congratulated himself on a job well done. He waited until the conversation had been established before slinking back to the phone.

"Ha'ri, it's Gure…"

* * *

"Yuki, will you come here?" Shigure called from behind the desk in his office. Kyo was settled down for a nap in the sun on the roof, and Tohru was cooking a mouth-watering dinner thus eliminating the chances of them being overheard. 

"What do you want?"

"Sit down. It's time we had a talk."

Yuki, being quite intelligent despite Kyo's insults, realized where Shigure was going and leaned against the doorway, making himself comfortable for the upcoming lecture/guilt-trip/Dr. Phil session.

"Would you like to start?"

"I don't understand him!"

Shigure chuckled. "You're one of many."

Yuki's glare sobered him. "What is he trying to pull?"

"I only know one person who can get that out of Aya. Are you sure you want to know?"

"I…I didn't want him to go away completely." Yuki confessed.

"I think I understand. You want your older brother to be there for you like he's supposed to, and to be your friend. You want to be as close as brothers are renowned for being, and to understand each other." Shigure's next novel would certainly be juicy with ideas like these.

"Exactly."

"Fortunately for you, I've already spoken with Hatori and he's willing to help you."

"You told Hatori?"

"I was a bit surprised that he knew nothing about this whole affair when I called him."

"Ayame tells him everything." Yuki took a seat in front of the low desk, now interested in what his cousin had to say.

"Not quite everything. He doesn't like bringing Ha'ri down. But he'll tell if asked." Shigure explained.

"What's your big plan?"

* * *

Ayame was sewing after hours when the phone rang. Mine had already gone home for the night, so he was obliged to answer. 

"Hello?"

"Ayame." Hatori's stern voice responded.

"Ha'ri?" Ayame was surprised. When did Hatori of all people call him? "I think I need to sit down." He joked.

Hatori sighed. "I need you to come over here."

"All right. I'll be there tomorrow."

"Tonight."

"Whatever you say." Ayame chirped. "Just let me finish this piece; I only have one sleeve left to attach."

"Be here as soon as possible."

"Of course!" Both men hung up.

* * *

"Are you satisfied?" Hatori asked Shigure. 

"Peachy." Shigure grinned.

Hatori groaned. "Why did I let you talk me into this? You know he won't stay away long."

"I could always start singing again. Maybe Akito would like to here me perform?" Hatori groaned. "Besides, he's actually serious this time."

Hatori said nothing.

* * *

Humming softly so as not to disturb anyone in the Main House (Akito in particular), Ayame slipped through the halls to Hatori's office. 

"Ha'ri?" The pale head poked in.

"Go on in Aya." Shigure urged from behind.

The Snake jumped, realizing too late that he was in a trap.

"Shigure, what are you doing here?" Ayame tried to force himself to relax, telling himself that these were his best friends and they wouldn't hurt him.

"What? Can't we have a Trio reunion?"

"Come in, both of you." Hatori demanded. Shigure put a hand on Ayame shoulders to guide him in.

"Sit down." Again Shigure gave Ayame no choice.

"Ha'ri, I don't know what Shigure's told you, but you don't have to do this." Ayame appealed. "It's not a big deal."

"Your brother isn't a big deal?" Shigure asked softly.

"Of course he is. That's why I'm doing what he needs."

"Are you sure of what he needs?" Hatori asked.

"He told me himself."

"Then it would surprise you to learn that Yuki asked me to set this up."

Golden eyes gave the novelist a disapproving look. "Don't lie to me Shigure."

"He's not lying." Yuki came in from where he had been listening on Hatori's porch.

"You left my little brother out there in the chilly night air?" Ayame's eyes only seemed to be more intense.

"Pay attention to me." Yuki demanded. "I don't want you as a mother, I don't want you as a tailor, I don't want you as a body-guard." He snapped.

Ayame could only stare at him.

"I want you as a brother."

It took a minute for the words to sink in.

"Oh, Yuki!" Ayame hugged him and spun him around before realizing what he was doing and coming to an abrupt stop. "I'm sorry. I was doing it again, wasn't I?"

"You were." Shigure helped when Yuki seemed hesitant to say anything.

"At least you were trying." Yuki shrugged to break the uncomfortable silence.

"I'll just have to try harder, won't I?" Ayame smiled gently and put an arm around his brother, loosely so that Yuki could break free if he wanted to. "I'll walk you home."

The two brothers left. Hatori looked at Shigure.

"Now that we have all this settled will you please let me finish my work Shigure?"

"Nope."


End file.
